Means for applying flux



OCL 16, 1934. w -r 1,977,220

MEANS FOR APPLYING FLUX Filed Sept. 26, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W{huggjior K Mimi Oct. 16, 1934. l, A. WYANf 1,977,220

MEANS FOR APPLYING FLUX Filed Sept. 26. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedOct. 16, 1934 PATENT OFFICE MEANS FOR APPLYING FLUX Ira A. Wyant,Muskegon, Mich., assignor to Campbell, Wyant 8a Gannon Foundry Company,Muskegon Heights, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application September26, 1932, Serial No. 634,868

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for coating articleswith a flux material. It is particularly directed to applying a coatingof flux material to the inner cylindricalsurfaces of shells used in theconstruction of brake drums made in accordance with the copending patentapplication of Donald J. Campbell, flled Feb. 2, 1931, Serial No.512,792. Brake drums or analogous devices made in accordance with thesaid invention provide a cylindrical shell into which a cast lining isformed by a centrifugal casting operation and the cast lining is causedto fuse with the shell during the centrifugal casting operation. Thepresent invention provides a means and method for applying. a coating offlux material to the inner surface of the shell to aid in the joinder byfusing between the cast lining and the shell.

The objects of the present invention are to provide an apparatus andmethod by means of which the fluxing material may be applied cheaply,quickly, evenly and in general most eflicaciously, to the shell. Theinvention is here-1 after more fully described and particularly pointedout in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, inwhich,

Fig.1 is a side elevation of a device embodying the apparatus of thisinvention and by which the method is performed, the device being shownpartially in section.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of one end of the device.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the entry end of the device.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of one portion of the device at line 4-4 ofFig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section of the device on the line 5-5 ofFig. 1, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged elevation of a portion of the drumejecting mechanism.

Like reference numbers refer to likeparts in all the figures.

1 represents an oven of elongated shape being slightly inclined to thehorizontal beneath which is a heater or firebox 2. The firebox or heater2 may be heated by any suitable means such as a flame burning thereinwhich flame may be caused by burning a combustible gas ejected from agas burner 3 as shown, the burner 3 being supplied with a forced airblast through the pipe 4 which air blast is derived from a blower outfit5 including a fan and motor. Any other suitable means'for supplying heatmay be substituted for the specific device shown.

The heat from the heater 2 may be conducted to the oven 1 in anysuitable way such as through openings 6 extending between the heater andthe oven. The oven is provided with a track 7 with spaced apart guiderails 8, the track being inclined downwardly from the entrance end ofthe oven to the delivery end 3 and the rails being spaced suflicientlyapart to guide the cylindrical shells 9 which are placed upon the trackin position to roll upon it. A suitable outlet flue 10 may be located.in the upper part of the oven.

Hinged baffle plates 11 are located at intervals in the length of theoven and depend by hinged connections from the upper side thereof. Thebaflle plates extend downwardly to a location which is preferablysomewhat lower than the 7 upper parts of the shells 9 which roll againstthem. The baflle plates 11 are to prevent excessive loss of heat fromthe oven and they will retard circulation therein to a considerableextent and especially such circulation at the upper part of the ovenwhich would tend to pass the heated air outward. 1

A delivery gate 12 is located at the lower delivery end of the oven 1extending in the path of the shells 9 and is mounted for verticalsliding 30 movement. A pedal 13 is connected by a lever 14 and a link 15to move the gate 12 downwardly out of the path of the shells and aspring 15a normally holds the gate 12' in raised position. Operation ofthe pedal 13 causes the gate 12 to 55 be lowered to permit the shells 12to roll by gravity from the oven 1.

. A downwardly inclined track 16 and guide rails 1'? continue from thedelivery end of the track 7 and guide rails Sin the oven to receive theshells 9 as they are permitted to roll from the oven and at a rotatingstation located intermediately of the ends of the track a rotatingdevice is provided. The rotating device consists of two spaced apartrollers 18 and 19. The roller 18 is preferably mounted on a shaft 20which rotates upon a fixed axis and the roller 19 is mounted on a shaft21 which may be raised and lowered. The shafts are connected by links 22and the shaft 21 is driven from the shaft 20 by a m chain 23 passingover sprockets on the respective shafts. The shaft 20 is suitablyrotated as by a belt 24 passing over pulleys located respectively on theshaft 20 and on the shaft of a motor 25. A lever 26 has an arm 27 movedthereby and the arm 2'7 is connected by a link 28 to the shaft 21whereby movement of the lever 26 will raise or lower the shaft 21.Acylindrical shell 9 rolling down the track 16 will be received andsupported by its periphery on the rollers 18 11 and 19 which whenrotated cause a rotation of the shell. An idler roller 29, mounted uponpivoted arm 30, rests upon the upper part of the periphery of the shelland aids to retain the shell in position upon the rollers 18 and 19during rotation. The shell may be ejected from the rollers by moving thelever 26 in a direction to raise the shaft 21 and the roller 19 mountedthereon-to a considerably higher position than the roller 18 whereat theshell will roll by gravity from the rollers and continue its rollingmotion down the remainder of the track 16 between the guide rails 17.

Liquid flux material is applied to the inner surface of a shell 9 at therotating station while it is being rotated by the rollers 18 and 19. Theflux material, which may consist of a solution of water and borax or anyother suitable ingredients. is contained in a tank 31 and may be heatedtherein by the flame from a burner 32. A conduit, such as a flexiblehose 33, extends from the tank 31 and joins the upper end of a pipe 34.The pipe 34 is hung on a bracket 35 fixed to a shaft 36 mounted on aframe 3'7, which frame 37 also supports other parts of the structure,and a lever 38, having a weight 39, is also fixed to said shaft 36 andnormally swings the lower end of the pipe '34 in a direction away fromthe framework and ,track on which the shells roll. The lower end of thepipe 34 is extended inwardly and is provided with a delivery nozzle 40which assumes a position within the shell 9 when it is located upon therollers 18 and 19. The nozzle 40 may be elongated and provided with aplurality of openings so that the flux material delivered therefrom willbe evenly distributed over the entire width of the inner surface of theshell. A valve 41 is provided in the pipe 34 to stop the flow of fluxmaterial;

A stop rail 42 is located at a position above the lower end of track 16to be engaged by the shells rolling down said track and to stop suchrolling movement, one of the guide rails 17 terminating a distance shortof said stop rail 42 equal to somewhat more than the diameter of ashell'which leaves a gap throughwhich the shell may be moved laterallyof the track. A moving conveyor ,43 is located over the track and isprovided with a hook 44 which depends to a location where it will engagea shell resting upon the track 16 against the stop 42 and movement ofthe conveyor hook removes a shell through the gap in the guide rail 17and carries it to a location for further operations permitting the 'nextshell upon the track to roll downwardly against the stop 42.

Operation After the oven 1 and the liquid flux material in the tank 31have been heated to the desired temperatures, shells 9 are inserted inthe oven by placing them upon the high end of the track 7 in theentrance end of the oven and permitting them to roll downwardly untilstopped by the gate 12. Several of these drums may be inserted in theoven at the same time and they are permitted to remain therein untilproperly heated. The operator then depresses the pedal 13, lifting thegate 12 and permits one of the drums 9 to roll out of the oven upon thetrack 16 and to be deposited upon the-rollers 18 and 19, permitting thegate 12 to rise after the passage of one shell to stop rolling movementof the next one. The rollers 18 and 19 may be caused to continuouslyrotate by operation of the motor tating shell. and the valve 41 isretained open until a sum:

or the motor may be intermittently operated at each time that a shell isin place upon the rollers 18 and 19. In either event the shell isrotated by movement of the rollers 18 and 19 and held in positionthereon by the idler roller 29 and during such rotation the lower end ofthe pipe 34 carrying the nozzle is manually swung into position withinthe shell and the valve 41 is opened to permit the flux material to flowfrom the nozzle 40 onto the inner surface of the ro- The nozzle is heldin this position cient quantity of the flux material has been depositedupon the shell after which the valve 41 is closed and the nozzle 40 ispermitted to swing away from the shell by action of the weight 39.

The shell'is rotated for a sufllcient time to permit the flux materialto set after which the lever 26 is moved to raise the shaft 21 carryingthe roller 19 to a position higher than the roller 18 which causes theshell to move from the rollers by gravity and to travel down theremainder the shells from the track as previously described and carriesthem to a location at which further operations are performed.

By this apparatus and method the cylindrical shells are firsteflectively heated to a desired temperature and then while hot arerotated in a manner so that the liquid flux material may be evenlyapplied to the inner cylindrical surface. The rotation of the shellwhile the flux material is being applied thereto is suihciently rapid toprevent displacement of the flux material by gravity flow and therotation is preferably sufllciently rapid to cause centrifugal force toact upon the flux material to cause it to pass forcibly against thesurface of the shell. The rotation is continued until the heat of theshell has dried the flux material to a consistency that will cause it toremain in place after rotation has ceased. Therefore, the shell, afterit has been ejected from the rollers 18 and 19, has received an evencoating of flux material which has been dried thereon by heat of theshell and the shell can thereafter be handled in any position withoutdisturbing the flu! coating.

The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be consideredcomprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described for applying flux to brake drumscomprising, a downwardly inclined track adapted to receive the drumthereon, an intermediate portion of the track being cut away, a firstmeans located in said cut away place for receiving said drum androtating the same, a second means for tiltably supporting the firstmentioned means whereby the drum is ejected from the said first meansand means for applyingflux to said drum when it is located in said firstmentioned means.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which 'the first mentioned meansrotates the drum about a horizontal axis.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1' in which the flux applying meansincludes a nozzle and means for mounting the nozzle for swingingmovement whereby it may be swung interiorly of said drum.

4. In combination, a relatively long inclined track adapted to receive aplurality of' brake drums thereon, a furnace enclosing the higher end ofthe said track, the lower end of the said track having a portion cutaway, a'brake drum revolving means located in said cut away portion,means for tiltably mounting said brake drum revolving means whereby thebrake drums may be held therein or ejected therefrom, means for sprayingliquid flux interiorly of each brake drum when it is located on saidrevolving means and a movable gate located adjacent the end of.

the furnace at which the brake drums emerge and means for actuating saidgate means whereby the drums may be permitted to roll outof the furnaceone at a time.

5. A combination of elements as set forth in claim 4 in which conveyormeans is located transversely of and above the lower end of the inclinedtrack to remove the brake drums therefrom.

6. A combination of elements as set forth in claim 18 in which a frameis located above the brake drum revolving means, an arm having one endpivoted onto the frame, a roller on the other end of the arm, saidroller being above the brake revolving means and being adapted to restupon a brake drum located therein for the purpose described, saidspraying means including lever means pivoted onto the said frame forswinging movement.

7. A device of the class described for applying flux to brake drumscomprising, a downwardly inclined track adapted to receive the drumthereon, an intermediate portion of the track being cut away, a firstmeans located in said cut away place for receiving said drum androtating the same, a second means for tiltably supporting the firstmentioned means whereby the drum is ejected from the said first means, aframe, an arm pivoted at one end onto the frame, the arm carrying aroller located above the drum which is being located and yieldablycontacting against the same whereby the drum may be ejected asdescribed.

8. A device as set forth in claim '1 which also has a flux applyingmeans pivotally mounted on said frame.

9. A device of the class described for applying flux to brake drumscomprising, a downwardly inclined track adapted to receive the drumthereon, a first means for receiving, holding and rotating the drum; asecond means for supporting the first mentioned means in a slopingposition whereby the drum rolls from the said first means and means forapplying 1J0 flux to said drum when it is located in said firstmentioned means.

IRA A. WYANT.

CERTIFICATE OF CORREGTlON.

Patent No. 1,977, 220.

October 16, 1934.

IRA A. WYANT.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the abovenumbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3,line 21, claim 6, for the numeral "18" read 4', and that the saidLetters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the samemay conform to the record oi the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this S eal) 13m day of November, A. D. 1934.

drums thereon, a furnace enclosing the higher end of the said track, thelower end of the said track having a portion cut away, a'brake drumrevolving means located in said cut away portion, means for tiltablymounting said brake drum revolving means whereby the brake drums may beheld therein or ejected therefrom, means for spraying liquid fluxinteriorly of each brake drum when it is located on said revolving meansand a movable gate located adjacent the end of.

the furnace at which the brake drums emerge and means for actuating saidgate means whereby the drums may be permitted to roll outof the furnaceone at a time.

5. A combination of elements as set forth in claim 4 in which conveyormeans is located transversely of and above the lower end of the inclinedtrack to remove the brake drums therefrom.

6. A combination of elements as set forth in claim 18 in which a frameis located above the brake drum revolving means, an arm having one endpivoted onto the frame, a roller on the other end of the arm, saidroller being above the brake revolving means and being adapted to restupon a brake drum located therein for the purpose described, saidspraying means including lever means pivoted onto the said frame forswinging movement.

7. A device of the class described for applying flux to brake drumscomprising, a downwardly inclined track adapted to receive the drumthereon, an intermediate portion of the track being cut away, a firstmeans located in said cut away place for receiving said drum androtating the same, a second means for tiltably supporting the firstmentioned means whereby the drum is ejected from the said first means, aframe, an arm pivoted at one end onto the frame, the arm carrying aroller located above the drum which is being located and yieldablycontacting against the same whereby the drum may be ejected asdescribed.

8. A device as set forth in claim '1 which also has a flux applyingmeans pivotally mounted on said frame.

9. A device of the class described for applying flux to brake drumscomprising, a downwardly inclined track adapted to receive the drumthereon, a first means for receiving, holding and rotating the drum; asecond means for supporting the first mentioned means in a slopingposition whereby the drum rolls from the said first means and means forapplying 1J0 flux to said drum when it is located in said firstmentioned means.

IRA A. WYANT.

CERTIFICATE OF CORREGTlON.

Patent No. 1,977, 220.

October 16, 1934.

IRA A. WYANT.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the abovenumbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3,line 21, claim 6, for the numeral "18" read 4', and that the saidLetters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the samemay conform to the record oi the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this S eal) 13m day of November, A. D. 1934.

